Ultrasound imaging modalities are based on the scattering of acoustic energy by interfaces of tissue materials having different properties through interactions governed by acoustic physics. These interactions provide the information needed to generate high-resolution, gray-scale images of the body (e.g., B-mode images) as well as to display information on blood flow (e.g., Color-Doppler and Power Mode images). When an acoustic wave is emitted into a material, the amplitude of the reflected energy is used to generate ultrasound images, and frequency shifts in the backscattered ultrasound signals that provide provides information relating to moving targets such as blood.
Ultrasound imaging is a medical imaging modality whose accuracy can be highly operator-dependent. Ultrasound system operators include sonographers, doctors, medical students, radiology specialists and medical technologists. Successful examination with an ultrasound imaging system by an ultrasound system operator involves specific skills on the part of the operator, including good hand-eye coordination, correct localization of a region of interest (e.g., a target organ), accurate interpretation of ultrasound images, correct use of ultrasound system modes, basic knowledge of the physics of ultrasound complemented with a good understanding of the image generation process, and excellent knowledge of the setup of the ultrasound system parameters and imaging conditions. The number of different parameters that can be set up in any ultrasound system makes image acquisition and interpretation a challenging task. Moreover, the characteristic speckle pattern of all ultrasound images and the various artifacts commonly encountered in clinical practice makes this process even more difficult.
Ultrasound imaging simulators are becoming increasingly important in the training of ultrasound system operators. However, most existing simulators do not consider the physics of ultrasound acquisition and exhibit unrealistic processing time such that they do not closely simulate actual application of ultrasound in a clinical setting.